Indonesian MotoGP Drama: Rider Ratings and Jorge Martin’s Stunning Comeback

Indonesian MotoGP Rider Evaluations: Honda's Key Racer Scores 9/10

Performance Scores for Each Competitor at the Mandalika Grand Prix

Jorge Martin overcame a fall during the Indonesian Grand Prix sprint and secured victory in the main MotoGP race on Sunday, thereby increasing his lead in the championship standings.

On Sunday, the Pramac rider extended his lead to 21 points after it had been reduced to 12 by Francesco Bagnaia. This came after Martin crashed during the sprint, allowing the world champion to secure the victory.

Bagnaia was unable to catch up to Martin in the race on Sunday. After a rough start and a challenging first few laps, the Italian rider had to settle for third place as the gap became too difficult to close.

Pedro Acosta secured second place for Tech3 GASGAS and subsequently underwent a tyre pressure investigation, which ultimately found no violations on his part.

Marc Marquez’s bid for the championship seems to have gone up in smoke due to an engine failure that forced him out of the grand prix. Enea Bastianini's chances were also severely impacted after he crashed while in third place.

Following an intense weekend, Crash.net evaluates the lineup.

Jorge Martin – 8

The Pramac rider dominated in qualifying, securing pole position with a record-breaking lap. His grand prix performance was exceptional. Leading from the start, Martin faced significant mental pressure due to past crashes at Mandalika and some early race challenges from Acosta.

To fend off any possible challenge from Acosta, Martin secured his third grand prix victory of the season. This win served as an ideal comeback after his earlier crash while leading the sprint race, a mishap that once more underscored his propensity to make crucial mistakes under pressure. Had it not been for that crash, Martin would have achieved a flawless performance. However, considering the current stakes, such errors could have detrimental consequences.

Pedro Acosta – 7

Acosta was confident that the Mandalika circuit would be favorable for the KTM and believed a strong performance was possible. He managed to secure a commendable third place in qualifying on his Tech3 bike and finished sixth in the sprint race. In the grand prix, he quickly became Martin's main competitor, demonstrating once more that he stands out among the KTM riders when the bike performs well.

Problems with the bike that hinder his sprinting speed are currently being addressed, and making progress in the initial laps of the Grand Prix will serve as a strong foundation for achieving top results in the final five races.

Francesco Bagnaia – 7

The current world champion was hoping for a stronger performance in Indonesia than what he delivered. Starting from Friday, he lagged behind his primary competitor for the title, and his teammate Enea Bastianini seemed to have more speed. Some progress on Saturday allowed him to secure fourth place in qualifying, and a strong start moved him up to second, enabling him to take advantage of Martin’s crash.

Bagnaia's speed with the soft tyre was consistently strong throughout the weekend. However, during the grand prix, a poor start and careful initial laps caused him to fall far behind in the race for victory. Although he managed to recover well, it wasn't sufficient to compete with Martin, who was in top form during the race.

Franco Morbidelli – 6.5

Recently, Pramac rider Franco Morbidelli has shown more consistent performance, a trend that continued in Mandalika. Although qualifying in ninth place was relatively underwhelming, he managed to secure fifth in the sprint race and fourth in the main event, which were commendable results. A stronger qualifying session might have allowed him to avoid using the soft front tire, potentially making him a bigger contender for a podium finish. Nonetheless, his ongoing form is promising.

Marco Bezzecchi – 6.5

The VR46 team racer showed impressive speed during the qualifying rounds, managing to secure the second spot on the grid even after a fall in Q2. However, similar to his performance at the San Marino GP where he started at the front, he was unable to convert this promising position into a podium finish. His chances diminished during the sprint race due to dislodged brake pads that caused him to veer off at Turn 11. In the main race, using a soft front tire, Bezzecchi performed solidly, and a fifth-place finish is a commendable outcome.

Maverick Vinales – 6

It was fair to anticipate more from Vinales in Indonesia considering his podium finish last year. Despite Aprilia's ongoing pace issues, Vinales emerged as the top performer among the RS-GP riders. Starting from 10th on the grid, he advanced to finish seventh in the sprint race and sixth in the main event.

Fabio Quartararo – Rating: 7

Continuing his impressive performance since the San Marino GP, Quartararo directly advanced to Q2 on Friday. Despite a strong showing in the sprint race, a collision with Morbidelli pushed him back to 12th place, highlighting the Yamaha's weaknesses in competing against its rivals. Quartararo initially faced difficulties warming up the medium rear tire in the early laps of the GP but managed to navigate through the field to secure a commendable seventh place, reaffirming the improved standard of the M1.

Brad Binder – 5

Binder's weekend was somewhat disrupted by a bike problem that pushed him out in Q1. However, a fall during the second practice session initially placed him in Q1, resulting in a 13th-place finish in the sprint race. He secured eighth in the grand prix, although the high number of retirements likely played a role.

Johann Zarco – 9

The LCR Honda rider received our highest rating for his performance at the Indonesian Grand Prix, and it’s well-deserved. He showed impressive form right from the start at Mandalika. Although he just missed an automatic spot in Q2, he successfully advanced through Q1. Zarco eventually qualified in seventh place and earned his first sprint points by finishing eighth. He continued his strong performance by securing ninth place in the main race, marking HRC’s first combined sprint and GP points of 2024. Among all Honda riders, Zarco was the one who most effectively capitalized on the improvements made to the bike since Misano.

Raul Fernandez – 5

As the sole Trackhouse rider this weekend, due to Miguel Oliveira bowing out because of an injury, Fernandez delivered a commendable performance while still addressing issues with the 2024 RS-GP. Advancing through Q1, Fernandez secured the 11th spot on the starting grid. Although a crash during the sprint race cost him valuable points, he managed to recover somewhat by finishing 10th in the main race, even if he was quite far behind.

Alex Rins – 3.5

After being sidelined from the Emilia Romagna GP due to bronchitis, Alex Rins faced a challenging comeback at this particular race. While he had a decent start on Friday, his performance failed to improve as the weekend progressed. Rins ended up 15th on the starting grid, came in 15th and last in the sprint race, and finished 12th and last in the main race, trailing his teammate Quartararo by over 15 seconds. Clearly, Rins has some work to do to match the potential his teammate is demonstrating with the bike.

Takaaki Nakagami – 3

Even though Honda's real improvements are a positive development for many of its racers, Takaaki Nakagami appears to be struggling. The rider from Japan qualified in 18th place, finished 17th in the sprint race, and secured 11th in the main event. However, a penalty for tyre pressure violations pushed him down to 12th position. This outcome is disappointing for Nakagami, who had set his sights on a top-10 finish but faced difficulties with a slippery rear tyre at the beginning of Sunday's race.

Enea Bastianini – 5

The Ducati factory rider had a promising start after Friday’s practice sessions, setting a lap record and displaying race pace comparable to Martin’s. However, things didn't go as planned. Although finishing second in the sprint race was a positive, narrowing the gap to Martin in the standings, his early laps in the main race were challenging. He had difficulties warming up his medium rear tire, which left him with ground to make up. While running in third place on lap 21 of 27 and being the fastest rider on the track, he crashed. This incident has all but dashed his title aspirations and was a disappointing follow-up to his impressive victory at Misano 2.

Augusto Fernandez – 3

Fernandez seemed set to earn some points in the grand prix, but a mechanical problem late in the race compelled him to drop out. Starting from the very back of the grid significantly limited his opportunities for a major result unless there was chaos among the frontrunners. Despite this setback, he believes his speed was competitive before he retired.

Joan Mir – 3

Honda's rider Joan Mir has been dealing with a persistent vibration problem when using new tires. This issue contributed to him starting in 20th position and missing out on the sprint. Mir has generally been slower than his fellow Honda riders, and his race ended in yet another crash, bringing his total crashes for the season to 12.

Marc Marquez – 4

Despite not viewing himself as a genuine contender for the championship, Marquez's recent performances have kept him in contention, and the race in Indonesia presented a solid chance to gain additional points on Martin. Although he wasn't as fast as the frontrunners on Friday, two crashes during Q2—the third consecutive qualifying session where he crashed—resulted in a 12th place start. He made an impressive recovery in the sprint race, securing third place. However, he struggled to break into the top eight during the main race before his bike broke down. The gap between the GP23 and GP24 models is increasing, and these costly qualifying crashes are significantly affecting his weekends.

Fabio Di Giannantonio – 6

Still recovering from a dislocated shoulder sustained in Austria, Di Giannantonio was visibly disheartened on Friday due to the lingering pain. Despite this setback, he managed to secure a direct spot in Q2 and clinched eighth place on the starting grid. His ninth-place finish in the sprint was commendable, and he effectively utilized the soft rear tire—being the only rider to do so—during the grand prix. His efforts paid off as he fiercely competed with and triumphed over Marc Marquez. Although a crash ultimately cost him a potential top-seven finish, his impressive speed should boost his confidence.

Aleix Espargaro – 3

Throughout his time in Indonesia, Aleix Espargaro consistently mentioned that he was "never competitive" on his Aprilia bike. He faced significant challenges, qualifying 13th after failing to secure a spot in Q2 and dropping to 16th in the sprint race. His main race ended abruptly after just two corners due to a crash initiated by Jack Miller.

Alex Marquez – 3

After a fall during Saturday's session, Alex Marquez was left somewhat battered. Overall, he wasn't able to make a significant impact this weekend. Starting 14th in the qualifying rounds, he maintained that position in the sprint and got caught in the Turn 3 incident on the first lap of the main race. It was a weekend to forget for the Gresini team member.

Jack Miller – 2

Jack Miller, riding for KTM, has been finding it difficult to extract more performance from the RC16 in recent races. He qualified in 16th place but managed to push forward to 11th in the sprint race, suggesting potential for a stronger performance on Sunday. However, despite the incident being classified as a racing accident, it was Miller's mistake that caused the Turn 3 crash during the grand prix, squandering a promising opportunity to earn valuable points.

Luca Marini – 3.5

Following his success at Misano 2, Luca Marini, a factory Honda rider, faced a tough reality check at Mandalika. He couldn't improve on his 17th-place qualifying position, finishing 18th in the sprint race and getting caught in a first-lap crash during the grand prix, through no fault of his own. Considering he was close to securing a direct Q2 position on Friday, his weekend could have turned out very differently.

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